The Influence of Silent Cinema on Today’s Horror Movies

The Influence of Silent Cinema on Today’s Horror Movies

Silent films are thought to have originated in the 19th century, although their height wasn’t until the early 20th century. However, some 100 years on since their rise to prominence, many of the aspects and features that were used to make them successful then are being used in modern cinema.

Today’s Horror Movies Using Influences of Silent Cinema

One film genre today that has clearly been impacted and influenced by what silent cinema had managed to achieve is horror. The horror films being produced today are – arguably – much better than they were before through the help of technology, with directors and editors able to use resources like Adobe After Effects templates to create new viewing experiences. However, they are still using various techniques that have been used for a century or so to evoke emotions in audiences.

Creating fright through jump scares

Although they were silent movies (bar the musical sounds used), classic horror films would use sequences and scenes that would involve moments that would make the audience jump in their seats. This is a technique that is still used very much today, with music often being used to build tension, suspense, and anticipation.

An old trick that has been used in films like Nosferatu and The Phantom of the Opera, it’s still being used today. Some horror enthusiasts have criticized it more recently because of how normalized it has become, but they tend to remain effective.

Classic shots are still being used

An evident influence that silent cinema has had on modern horror films involves the type of shots that are being used. Of course, technology has evolved and made it possible to create even new ways in which film can be shot, but the movies of yesteryear had to start from the beginning.

Silent movies would play around with techniques as they tried to find the best angles and shots they could use. This would lead to some using drawn-out wide shots to capture as much of the set as possible. The 1920 classic The Cabinet of Dr Caligari is a notable example. Other shots used included giving us a character’s perspective or braking the scene up into different frames.

Today, we see horror films released using the same methods. It’s not uncommon to see a director look to use a shot that shows the whole set to drive tension and suspense. We’ve seen an increase in shots of the character’s perspective, allowing us to see and feel what they do, evoking certain emotions as if the audience is involved in the entire scene. 

The use of shadows

Shadows can create suspense and build tension. As viewers, we know that there isn’t usually anything good that can come from seeing a shadow and not knowing who it belongs to. We immediately believe it will belong to someone who is “dark” and “dangerous”; there isn’t anything really positive that can be captured from something we can’t see.

We arguably receive these views because of their usage in silent cinema. Horrors of the past would use them to make audiences feel uneasy as they wouldn’t have any idea of what was about to happen. Count Orlok’s shadow climbing the staircase in Nosferatu is a classic example of a scene that used this technique to perfection. In today’s horrors, paranoia has been created in the same way, with films like The Woman in Black doing it perfectly.

Will silent cinema continue to impact modern horror?

Horror is arguably a genre that continues to evolve with time. While there are some who will claim those of the past are the best versions because of the limited techniques and methods that could be used, technology is helping to create new viewing experiences.

Still, silent cinema has undeniably been influential on the genre – and modern cinema in general. As highlighted, several techniques are still being used today that were effective a century ago. They’ve perhaps been improved, but their foundations and roots are there.

With horror being a divisive genre for so many, it wouldn’t be a surprise if these methods were used further in the future or if we were to see other styles come to light as filmmakers find new ways to give their audiences the frights they’re after.